Altered Item
Altered Items (AIs) are archetypal objects acted upon by paranatural forces during Altered World Events, resulting in the development of unique and sometimes dangerous properties. One of the goals of the Federal Bureau of Control is to contain and study Altered Items and their paranatural properties. Certain Altered Items, known as Objects of Power, possess the capability of granting certain individuals (known as parautilitarians) paranatural abilities, and are connected to the Astral Plane. Most Altered Items are contained in the Panopticon in the Containment Sector of the Oldest House. Nature Altered Items are created during Altered World Events, events wherein forces from other dimensions intrude upon ordinary reality. These paranatural forces are affected by the human mind and collective unconscious, and as a result, they gravitate toward objects which represent archetypes (implicitly Jungian), universal symbols ubiquitous in human culture. The inception of Altered Items is in their representation of these archetypes. As implied by Bureau research, Altered Items do not possess sentience, but some degree of "programming," and are used to being "worshiped" by humanity. As a result, the Bureau contains and "tames" Altered Items by placing them on totem-like pedestals within the Panopticon and elsewhere and adapting to their needs and volatile natures. The connection between Altered Items and their inferred archetypal origins is not clear. Based on their nature, it is possible that the paranatural properties of Altered Items always correlate to the archetypes they represent. Altered Items can also be possessed or influenced by extradimensional beings, and bound to the will of powerful parautilitarians; such Altered Items are known as Objects of Power. While OoPs appear to be mainly distinguished by their connection to the Astral Plane specifically, non-OoP Altered Items can also fall under paranatural influences, as seen when the Hiss corrupted numerous Altered Items during the Hiss invasion. The Astral entity known as Former was also able to influence Altered Items in spite of originating in the Astral Plane, suggesting that simply a connection to the Astral Plane is not the only factor distinguishing Altered Items from Objects of Power. Classification Altered Items, like Objects of Power, are classified into five known categories, designated by the letters at the end of their IDs. Altered Item IDs follow the template "AI##-?E," with "##" being the number of the Altered Item (based on its chronological date of acquisition relative to other AIs), and "?E" being one of the five AI/OoP categories: KE, PE, UE, AE, and BE. Of these categories, by far the most AIs fall under the KE category. The meaning of these designations is not known. General observations are as follows: * KE-class Altered Items all possess a direct physical effect, whether on themselves or on their surroundings. 14 Altered Items and 6 Objects of Power are listed as KE-class. (KE = Kinetic Effects?) * PE-class Altered Items all possess a psychological or psychic effect on living beings, such as hypnosis or mood alteration. 3 Altered Items and 1 Object of Power are listed as PE-class. (PE = Psychological Effects?) * UE-class Altered Items vary in their effects, with no clear similarities. 4 Altered Items and 2 Objects of Power are listed as UE. (UE = Uncategorised Effects?) * Two AE-class Altered Items exists (Holiday Memories Tree, AI14-AE), which possesses the ability to repeat what is spoken to it, and (Rubber Duck, AI52-AE) which possesses the abilities to quack and to travel short distances surprisingly fast and appears to follow certain individuals who have forged a connection to it. (AE = Audio Effects?) * Only one BE-class Altered Item exists (Game Hammer, AI5-BE), which possesses the ability to spread an unidentified pathogen. As its Altered Item file was from farther back in the Bureau's history, the terminology in it is outdated, and it is possible the BE classification is antiquated or no longer in use. (BE = Biological Effects?) List of Altered Items 26 Altered Items can be found in Control, ''for a total of 36 if Objects of Power are included. ''The exact amount possessed by the FBC is not known, but is likely around 83, given that the most recent Altered Item - the Typewritten Page (AI83-KE) - was acquired only two months before the Hiss invasion. Trivia * The formatting for Altered Item containment files is directly inspired by the SCP Foundation, a fictional organization also responsible for containing objects which defy the laws of reality. The formatting, particularly the "containment procedures" followed by a description of the object in question, is extremely similar to the formatting of the SCP Foundation's SCP files. Category:Altered Items Category:Paranatural phenomena